Sox have plans for Viciedo

Under former hitting coach Greg Walker, veteran players could expect a visit in the offseason with the plan to do some maintenance on the swing.

Jeff Manto, who became the new hitting coach last season in Walker's departure to Atlanta, is taking the same approach, but also focusing on some of the younger players the Sox feel are key fixtures for the future.

Left fielder Dayan Viciedo is really on the radar for the Sox this offseason, not only to work with Manto, but also to get him prepared for a possible switch from the outfield to first base after the 2013 season.

Paul Konerko, who has been the face of the franchise for years, is a free agent after this year, and there is no indication that the two sides will agree on an extension.

There is also no indication that Konerko wants to play beyond this season, with the chance of him simply riding off into the retirement sunshine always a possibility.

General manager Rick Hahn has discussed Viciedo several times since the Winter Meetings, and Hahn acknowledged that first base could eventually be a destination for him. The 23-year-old is coming off his first full season in the bigs, hitting .255 with 25 homers with 78 RBI. He also did play a sound left field, but he came up in Cuba as a third baseman and moved to first base two years ago before settling into his outfield spot last year.

"Down the road absolutely (he could take over at first base)," Hahn said of Viciedo. "This year, though, we plan on him being in left field."

Manager Robin Ventura has already said he would give Adam Dunn more opportunities at first base this season, with the hope of keeping Konerko a bit fresher by giving him starts in the DH spot. The Sox could use spring training to get Viciedo a bit of work over there as well.

As far as making sure he continues to move forward offensively, that will fall into the hands of Manto. Viciedo proved to be very streaky in his first full season. He started off slowly in April, with a .206 average and just four RBI, before heating up in May, with a .351 average to go along with eight homers and 24 RBI.

Viciedo seemed to hit the wall a bit near the end of the season, hitting .221 in September, but that was almost expected.

Manto knows Viciedo well, and the coach was the one responsible for adding the leg kick he uses today.

"With this leg kick, the timing, his body will be behind the ball more often and give him a better chance for better contact," Manto told MLB.com. "He's such a tremendous hitter, but sometimes he gets so excited getting after the ball.

"Dayan hit (25) homers and drove in 78 and we are still going to mess with him. That's how good he is, how good we think he is and can be."

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MLB Team Report - Chicago White Sox - NOTES, QUOTES

--LHP John Danks will not be pushed to be ready for Opening Day. The reports on his rehab from shoulder surgery remain positive, but that doesn't mean the Sox are going to push him through spring training so he can break with the team and start the season in the rotation. Considering the amount of money the Sox invested in Danks last season, the goal is to make sure Danks has no setbacks. "Being on the roster by Opening Day is the target, but if we have to push that back a few weeks to err on the side of caution, that is what we will do," first-year GM Rick Hahn said. The Sox took a similar approach with Jake Peavy last spring.

--C Tyler Flowers is now the No. 1 catcher in the wake of veteran C A.J. Pierzynski signing with Texas, and the Sox have spent the last month talking up the positives of having Flowers start. Of course, it's just talk until Flowers can go out there and prove it on a consistent basis. "We won't know what we have until the end of spring training, after he gets consistent at-bats like a No. 1," hitting coach Jeff Manto recently said. "We'll be dealing with a lot of things for the first time with him, and the last thing he needs to be worried about is mechanics." Flowers hit just .213 as a backup to Pierzynski last season.

--OF Courtney Hawkins is considered the top prospect in the system, but he headlines a list of outfielders the Sox feel are moving closer to the major leagues. Right behind Hawkins are OFs Trayce Thompson, Keenyn Walker and Jared Mitchell. That's why the Sox are expected to move OF Dayan Viciedo to first base after this season. With Alex Rios a free agent after the 2014 season and the Sox still having control over Alejandro De Aza, the entire outfield could have a face-lift in the next two years.